Car-coupling



(No Model.)

J. G. PEACE" & E. B. SANKEY.

. GAR GOUPLING.

No. 284,886. 7 Patented Sept. 11, 1883.

Zia/anion W 13. MM

UNITED STATES PATENT FFicE.

JOHN G. PEACE AND EBEN B. SANKEY, SALEM, MISSOURI.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 284,886, dated September 11, 1883.

Application filed February 12, 1883. (No model.) i I To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, JOHN G. PEAGEallCl EBEN B. SANKEY, both of Salem, in the county of Dent and State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Car- Oouplings, of which the following is a full, clear, andexact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a vertical section. Fig. 2 is a top view of two draw-bars. Fig. 3 is an end view 'of a car with our improvement attached. Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section taken on line 4 4, Fig. 1, and Fig. 5 is a similar view taken on line 5 5, Fig. 1. five view of the sliding block removed.

Our invention relates to a car-coupling in which the coupling-pins enter from beneath the draw-bars; and our invention consists in features of novelty hereinafter fully described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a car-body, and B the draw-bar, parts of two bodies and two draw-bars being shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The throat of the draw-bar extends back some distance, and secured in its inner portion is a block, 0, held in by a suitable pin, 0, having a neck, 0 to which is secured one end of a spring, D, which is secured by its other end to the neck or projec-' tion E of a sliding block, E, which has aprojection or'lip, E on its lower side, working in a groove, F, in the throat of the draw-bar.

G represents the coupling-pin, pivot-ed to the end of a lever, H, which is fulcrumed to the under side of the draw-bar by a bracket, I, formed upon or secured to the draw-bar. The pin is secured tothe lever, out of the center of its gravity, as shown, the object being to give to the upper end of the pina tendency to drop backward as soon as permitted to do so. The pin-hole below the throat is larger than the pin, and it has a projection, B, (see left side of Fig. 1, where the section is not taken through it,) through the center of which the groove F is made. Thus when the pin is brought below this projection it will drop back and engage beneath it when the block E is pushed in by the coupling-link, (see left side, Fig. 1,) and then when the link is removed the block is thrown forward by the Fig. 6 isa perspecspring D, the projection on its under side striking the end of the coupling-pin, knocking it out from under the projection B, so that it rests against the block, (see right side, Fig.1,) and then when the coupling-link is inserted into the drawbar again it forces the block E back, allowing the pin to rise automatically to couple the cars. The outer or free end of the lever H is weighted by an adjnstable counterbalance -block, H, held in place by a suitable set-screw.

The pin G is lowered to uncouple the cars (or, rather, it may thus be lowered) by a shaft, J, having a crank, J, journaled to the bottom of the car. The crank may be turned up against the free end of the lever, to raise it and lower'the other end, by ahandle on the outside of the car, which may have a chain connected to it extending to the top of the car. (See Fig. 3.) I

K represents a lock-yoke hinged beneath the car, and, when hanging vertically, resting upon or close to the lever H, (see left side, Fig. 1,) its office being to keep the free end of the lever from being thrown up by the jolting of the car, thus uncoupling the car when it is not desired. This lock is thrown up in advance of the lever, in uncoupling the car, by being struck by the vertical parts of the crank J, which it overreaches. (See Fig. 3.) Only a little over half of the crank J may be used, if desired, the rest of the rod being dispensed with. It will .be seen that when the pin has been lowered until it engages beneath the projection B it requires no further attention, as above described, for the cars to be automatically coupled.

L represents a pivotedlid secured to the top of the draw-head, for closing the pin-opening. In our improved coupling ice and snow are thus prevented from getting at the coup ling-pin in cold weather, and another advantage of coupling from beneath is that no room isrequired to be left at top for the insertion of the pin.

If at any time it is desired to use the common coupling-pins, the lids or covers L may be simply turned to one side, and one of our draw-bars can couple with one of common construction, or not provided with our device.

' \Ve claim as our invention 1. In a car-coupling the combination of 2. In a car-coupling, the lock bar or yoke sliding block E, with projection E clrew bar K, for holding the lever H clown, adapted to 10 B, with groove F and projection 13, pin G, sebe raised by the crank J as set forth.

JOHN G. PEACE.

cured out of its center of gravity; lever H, to

5 which the pin is secured, pivoted to the draw- EBEN B. SANKEY.

head, and having counter-balance H, and lifting-crank J on rocl J, all substantially as shown and described.

Vitnesses L. B. VVoonsrnn, VVALLAoE MoDoNALD. 

